Mattress handles



April 6, 1965 M. B. ZYSMAN ETAL 3,176,326

MATTRESS HANDLES Filed March 29. 1962 agent INVENTORS. M. B. &S. J. ZY 5 MA N.

United States Patent 3,176,326 MATTRESS HANDLES Milton B. Zysman and Simon Ii. Zysman, both of 103 Old Forest Hill Road, Toronto, Ontario, anada Filed Mar. 29, 1%2, Ser. No. 183,553 6 Claims. ((11. -345) The invention relates to mattress handles with particular reference to handles capable of installation on mattresses by simple, plug-in, procedures at any time during or subsequent to the manufacture of the mattress. More particularly, the invention is concerned with so-called permanent handles which are non-removably installed on mattresses.

Mattress handles are usually mounted on the side walls or borders of mattresses which are fabricated separately from the mattresses themselves and later incorporated therein.

Inasmuch as it is obviously advantageous and desirable from the viewpoints of convenience and esthetics for mattress handles to lie flatly against their supporting borders, it is currently customary to install such handles on the borders while the latter are in the process of fabrication and are still limp; both the borders and the handles being simultaneously 'tautened when incorporated into mattresses as aforesaid. More specifically, the invention is particularly designed for co-operation with handle grommets mounted on the border of a mattress during the fabrication thereof; said handle grommets being used, for example, to secure a resilient backing plate to and on the inside surface of the mattress border; each said handle grommet remaining exteriorly accessible, however, to receive and to non-releasably capture a terminal of a handle as herein visualized. Usually, a pair of handle grommets spaced a measured distance apart are utilized to secure said backing plate as aforesaid by its respective ends.

Most handles of the prior art intended for installation in handle grommets as aforesaid, required relatively extensive manipulation in the course of such installation which, in turn, compelled gathering of the mattress border and/ or arching of the backing plate. This situation dictated the installation of the handle on the border while it was still limp prior to its incorporation into the mattress.

It will be obvious that so long as the border remained limp, the handle which it supported would be relatively loosely mounted and hence prone to get in the way of the operator working on the mattress and the premature presence of the handle on the border was consequently a frequent nuisance and a source of more or less irritation which dould be obviated by the availability of an efiicient and practical handle capable of installation on the mattress after completion thereof.

' Mattresses are generally acknowledged to be relatively blind articles whose quality or lack thereof is concealed by the ticking enveloping them. Thus, careful purchasers of mattresses lean more heavily upon the integrity and the reputation of the mattress vendor than they do upon their own judgment. Scrupulous merchants conscientiously concerned with the quality of the goods which they offer for sale usually prefer, accordingly, to proudly and prominently brand their goods for all the world to see and to recognise. Unfortunately, however, the customary method of branding mattresses has heretofore been by sewing labels thereon; this being an expedient mostly unavailable to the majority of mattress merchants for a great many reasons.

Consequently the availability of a handle as hereinafter described, capable of installation on a mattress after the latter is completed, it is not only a boom to the manufact-urer, for the reasons already given but also to the merchant who is thus provided with an opportunity to install his own handles bearing his own brand on all or any of the mattresses delivered to and resold by him.

Many other features of more or less superiority over the prior art are to be found in the handle of the present invention. However, it is not believed to be necessary or even desirable to enumerate these features at the present time; it being thought that such features will, in any event, become apparent from the hereinafter provided description of the embodiment of the invention which has been particularly selected for these exemplary purposes.

At all events, it is a broad and general object of the invention to provide eflicient and reliable mattress handles capable of being installed as aforesaid in handle grommets on completed mattresses, it being an extension of this object to provide such handles with mounts for labels or the like.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a mattress handle having terminals capable of being plugged-in more or less simultaneously in commensurately spaced handle grommets on the border of a completed mattress.

The invention further seeks to provide handles with terminals as aforesaid having integral facilities formed thereon procuring the capture of said terminals within said handle grommets. Moreover, the tolerances demanded by the specific terminal structure contemplated by the invention are not critical and this enables the use of the present handle in handle grommets with variously dimensioned apertures.

It is a yet further object of the invention to provide a mattress handle as aforesaid having features of construction investing it with the advantages hereinbefore and hereinafter enumerated and enabling said handle to be manufactured by a simple molding procedure.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide handles as aforesaid with terminals having facilities capturable within handle grommets; said facilities being in each instance oriented to permit the terminal to be installed in a handle grommet by a direct axial thrust and to be non-withdrawable by reverse axial tension as, for example, when the handle is used to lift a mattress; the terminal re-orienting itself under stress to redirect such stress along re-inforced planes of the terminal.

It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a mattress handle of a character rendering it suitable for construction of molded plastic, and,

It is a yet further object of the invention to provide an improved mattress handle of maximum utility, enhanced appearance, strength, durability, reliability, and, yet, economical construction.

It will be appreciated that the mattress handle of the invention requires to be manufactured of a substance which is moldable and which, after molding, possesses, the strength that is required of a mattress handle as well as a reasonable rigidity coupled with resilience of a level suflicient to meet the handle requirements which will be readily obvious to those in the art and which will appear later on herein.

T he handle herein visualized may have a central hand grip or bar portion with two end terminals which, preferably, project radially therefrom along parallel lines. Each said terminal is, in its turn, provided with an integral detent-like device capable of flexing against the terminal while it is being thrust through a conventional handle grommet; said device respreading thereafter to impinge upon the grommet and so to be obstructed and to obstruct any withdrawal movement of the terminal.

Further objects and features of the invention will be, in part, obvious, and, in part, most specifically set forth in the hereinafter followingdescription of the elements,

embodiment whereof is illustrated by way of example only in the annexed drawing wherein like reference devices designate like parts of the invention and wherein:

FIG.- 1 is a perspective view, partly in section of a handle according to theinstant invention in position to be plugged into the handle grommets of a mattress border;

FIGS. 2 to 5 both inclusive, side elevational views of the right and left terminals of the handle of FlG.,1 progressively passing through handlegrommets appearing therein in section, and

FIGS. 6 to 7 both inclusive, are side elevational views corresponding to FIGS. 2 to 5 and illustrating the effects of a withdrawal tension applied to a handle terminal according 'to the present invention. 7

It is deemed appropriate to point out at this juncture that the fragments of mattress border appearing in the foregoing views has been illustrated without showing the customary padding lining the undersurface thereof; this omission havingbeen made deliberately for the twin sakes of simplifying andclarifying the drawing; a similar motivation having prompted the omission of the right'terminal from the handle appearing in FiG. l.

Referring now to the drawing with more particularity, the invention as typifiedby the present embodiment, con templates bar B which is, in effect, the actual complete handle of this invention being formed in a configuration.

substantially as shownin FIG. 1 and: intended to be ,plugged into grommets on the mattress sidewall or border to be described in'greater detail later on herein.

, Said barB'has turned down ends or terminals 16 -10 which project substantially perpendicularly therefrom;

Said terminals 10 are spaced apart bya hand grip porwhich will .pass said terminal10 with the branch 18 folded against it. Conversely, its maximum permissible dimension is governed by the perpendicular distance between terminal 10 and the free end of its branch 18 which may certainly' be a relatively substantialdistance. For this reason, it will be apparentthat a terminal 10 constructed according to this invention will have a wide dimensional tolerance, being capable of co-operating with a varied range of handle grommets It is additionallynoteworthy that the resilience of the vbar 8 stock invests the present terminal 10 with a still further advantage. 1 v

i a As is indicated in the drawing and as has already been 'observedherein, a withdrawal tension applied to terminal 10 will-procure the impingement of branch end-'20 on the grommet undersurface 32 resulting in asp'reading stress to branch 18 and culminating inthe spreading of gap- 22; the specific crotch 36 of gap '22 being rounded 1 stress being, by this expedient, shifted and re-directed along lines X which are diagonal to the-axis Y of terminal 10 and-hence much more stress-resistant.

The axial dimension of eachterminal tip 16 commencing at crotch'36 is preferably larger than grommet clearance34 'sothat when terminal 10 is in the arched posi- I tion of FIG., 7,-the tip 16 being thus'disposed across the tion 12 to which they are, respectively connected by v,

' .arcuate elbows 14-14; the felbows' having been arched for strain distribution purposes.

Rooted in the tip 16 of each terminal. 16 is a bra ch 18 having a neutral position in which it is outspread rela tive to said terminal 19. Assuming'said tip 16 to. be the-leading or forward extremity of its terminal 10,;the

organization of the parts is such that the free end 20 of the branch 18 may be said to be pointing rearwardly.

Deriving resilience fromthe substance of bar B with which it is integral, said branch 18 ismovable under stress from its relaxed outspread neutral position. of FIGS. 1 and 2 either to close or to further spread the gapr22 between itself and terminal 10. I

Thus, when a terminal 10 is -moved forwardly into a handle grommet 30, as in FIG. .3 the branch 18, will be cammed in'an understood manner to close gap, 22' and,

to assume a disposition contiguous to said terminal 10 as in FIG. 4. Once, however, the free branch end 20;

clears said handle grommet 30 the branch 18 will there:

after spring back to its neutral,'unstressed, relaxed and outspread position as in FIG. 5 ready to impinge'on the undersurface 32 of said grommet 30; the length of the bar B between elbow 14 and terminal tip 16 being con- 1 ducive thereto. I Thereafter, any reverse or withdrawal movement 'of terminal 10 will carry branch 18 into actual impingement on handle grommet 30"as in FIG., 6 Moreover, any continuing withdrawal tension thereafter applied will procure spreading of gap' 22 asindicated in FIGS; 6

. and 7. I ..Ideally, the plastic substance of bar Bhas substantial resilience 'which' is inherited by branch '18and invests it with the ability. to move through a relatively large amplitude or," in other words, it permits a gap.22 of fairly large'degree. This in-=turn enlarges the dimensional range or tolerance,.of handle grommets 30 with which the present bar terminal 10. is able to .co operate.' j

, For example, the. passageway or aperture or clearance 34, as t isherein preferred to be identified, of a handle grommet 30 intended for co-operation with a present bar I terminal 10 is limited as to the minimum dimension [on bar B. It is noteworthy however," that the specific,

construction of bar B makes allowances for minor variations in grommet spacing and allows said terminals 1010 to be plugged more or less simultaneously into a pair of handle grommets30-30 whose spacing merely approximates that of terminals 10-10 without corresponding precisely thereto. V

'It will be seen that the capture of a terminal 10 in a handle grommet 30 is effectively achieved mainly by branch 18 and is verylittle, if at all, atfectedby the perpendicularity ofsaid terminal 10 relative to handle grommet 3b. i

The dimensional'tolera'nce of terminals 10 and grommets 30 coupled with an equivalent 'tolerancegin the corresponding spacing of the same parts makes it feasible I for a dealer to attach his own handles to mattresses manufactured by others and, accordingly, makes it feasible for such handles to be branded with the mark or symbol of the dealer; Y

To facilitate such branding the top surface of hand grip 40 to serve as a mount for a label 42 or the like.

fing or other like hazards.

1 It is to be understood that the foregoing submission I is. confined to a description of the invention in relation yonly to t a preferred form. or embodiment thereof and does not comprehend all of the forms, in whichthe inportion: 12 of present bar B is provided with a platform Preferably said platform f40 is depressed slightly .to define a peripheral beading 44 around the perimeter of the plat-z vention is capable of expression. should not therefore be construed as defining the limits of the invention which are embodied, instead, in the claims now following:

The said submission What we claim is: 1. A molded one-piece handle of stilf resilient material for engagement in a pair of handle grommets mounted in relatively fixed spaced apart relation on a mattress sidewall, comprising:

a hand-grip portion;

terminals integral with said hand-grip portion extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom and spaced correspondingly to said handle grommets for insertion and capture within said grommets;

a tip integrally joined to and constituting a forward extension of each said terminal;

said terminals, tips and hand-grip portion forming a structure with suflicient stiffness and said terminals being oriented to permit them to be plugged simultaneously into said grommets by said hand-grip, and

a branch integrally rooted in each said tip adjacent its juncture with said terminal and extending generally rearwardly of said terminal, said branch being resilient for movement between a relaxed position in which it is outspread relative to said terminal and a stressed position in which it is disposed contiguously to said terminal;

each said terminal and branch being dimensioned to permit passage thereof through a said grommet with said branch in its contiguous stressed position but being incapable of Withdrawal through said grommet with the branch in its relaxed outspread position procuring impingement of said branch on the grommet upon withdrawal tension being applied thereto;

each said terminal being resiliently archable to procure disposition of said tip substantially transversely across said grommet;

said tip being non-Withdrawable through said grommet while thus transversely disposed.

2. A handle as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said tip is enlarged relative to said terminal.

3. A handle as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said hand-grip portion and each of said terminals merge at an arcuate elbow.

4. A molded one-piece handle of stiff resilient material for engagement in a pair of handle grommets mounted in relatively fixed spaced apart relation on a mattress sidewall, comprising:

a hand-grip portion;

terminals integral with said hand-grip portion extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom and spaced correspondingly to said handle grommets for insertion and capture within said grommets;

a tip integrally joined to and constituting a forward extension of each said terminal;

said terminals, tips and hand-grip portion forming a structure with sufiicient stiffness and said terminals being oriented to permit them to be plugged simultaneously into said grommets by said hand-grip;

a branch integrally rooted in each said tip adjacent its juncture with said terminal and extending generally rearwardly of said terminal, said branch being resilient for movement between a relaxed position in which it is outspread relative to said terminal and a stressed position in which it is disposed contiguously to said terminal, and

a crotch between said terminal and said branch at the juncture of said tip and said terminal;

each said terminal and branch being dimensioned to permit passage thereof through a said grommet with said branch in its contiguous stressed position but being incapable of withdrawal through said grommet with the branch in its relaxed outspread position procuring impingement of said branch on the grommet upon withdrawal tension being applied thereto and inducing spreading of said crotch to accommodate the grommet therein;

each said terminal being resiliently archable to procure disposition of said tip substantially transversely across said grommet;

said tip being non-withdrawable through said grommet while thus transversely disposed.

5. A handle as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

said crotch is rounded.

6. In combination, a mattress sidewall and handle including:

at least one pair or" grommets installed on said sidewall and maintained thereon in relatively fixed spaced apart relation, and a molded one-piece handle of still resilient material engageable within said grommets, said handle comprising:

a hand-grip portion; terminals integral with said hand-grip portion extending substantially perpendicularly therefrom and spaced correspondingly to said handle grommets for insertion and capture within said grommets; a tip integrally joined to and constituting a forward extension of each said terminal; said terminals, tips and hand-grip portion forming a structure with sufficient stiffness and said terminals being oriented to permit them to be plugged simultaneously into said grommets by said hand-grip, and a branch integrally rooted in each said tip adjacent its juncture with said terminal and extending generally rearwardly of said terminal, said branch being resilient for movement between a relaxed position in which it is outspread relative to said terminal and a stressed position in which it is disposed contiguously to said terminal; each said terminal and branch being dimensioned to permit passage thereof through a said grommet with said branch in its contiguous stressed position but being incapable of withdrawal through said grommet with the branch in its relaxed outspread position procuring impingement of said branch on the grommet upon withdrawal tension being applied thereto; each said terminal being resiliently archable to procure disposition of said tip substantially transversely across said grommet; said tip being non-withdrawable through said grommet while thus transversely disposed.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,359,193 9/44 Bechik 5345 2,703,415 3/55 Bechik 5345 2,938,656 5/60 Bertram 229-52 FOREIGN PATENTS 687,835 2/53 Great Britain.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

GEORGE L. BREHM, WESLEY S. COLE, Examiners. 

1. A MOLDED ONE-PIECES HANDLE OF STIFF RESILIENT MATERIAL FOR ENGAGEMENT IN A PAIR OF HANDLE GROMMETS MOUNTED IN RELATIVELY FIXED SPACED APART RELATION ON A MATTRESS SIDEWALLS, COMPRISING: A HAND-GRIP PORTIONS; TERMINALS INTERGAL WITH SAID HAND-GRIP PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY THEREFROM AND SPACED CORRESPONDINGLY TO SAID HANDLE GROMMETS FOR INSERTION AND CAPTURE WITHIN SAID GROMMETS; A TIP INTEGRALLY JOINED TO AND CONSTITUTING A FORWARD EXTENSION OF EACH SAID TERMINAL; SAID TERMINALS, TIPS AND HAND-GRIP PORTION FORMING A STRUCTURE WITH SUFFICIENT STIFFNESS AND SAID TERMINALS BEING ORIENTED TO PERMIT THEM TO BE PLUGGED SIMULTANEOUSLY INTO SAID GROMMETS BY SAID TIP ADJACENT A BRANCH INTEGRALLY ROOTED IN EACH SAID TIP ADJACENT ITS JUNCTURE WITH SAID TERMINAL AND EXTENDING GENERALLY REARWARDLY OF SAID TERMINAL, SAID BRANCH BEING RESILIENT FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RELAXED POSITION IN WHICH IT IS OUTSPREAD RELATIVE TO SAID TERMINAL AND A STRESSED POSITION IN WHICH IT IS DISPOSED CONTIGUOUSLY TO SAID TERMINAL; EACH SAID TERMINAL AND BRANCH BEING DIMENSIONED TO PERMIT PASSAGE THEREOF THROUGH A SAID GROMMET WITH SAID BRANCH IN ITS CONTIGUOUS STRESSED POSITION BUT BEING INCAPABLE OF WITHDRAWAL THROUGH SAID GROMMET WITH THE BRANCH IN ITS RELAXED OUTSPREAD POSITION PROCURING IMPINGEMENT OF SAID BRANCH ON THE GROMMET UPON WITHDRAWAL TENSION BEING APPLIED THERETO; EACH SAID TERMINAL BEING RESILIENTLY ARCHABLE TO PROCURE DISPOSITION OF SAID TIP SUBSTANTIALLY TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID GROMMET; SAID TIP BEING NON- WITHDRAWAL THROUGH SAID GROMMET WHILE THUS TRANSVERSELY DISPOSED. 